2003 Pontiac Bonneville Owner's Manual - Page 301

Brakes Brake Fluid your brake system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your brakes won't work well, or won't work at all. I 1 Your master cylinder reservoir is on the driver's side of the engine compartment. It is filled with DOT-3 brake fluid. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-14. There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should have 5-42 So, it isn't a good idea to "top off your brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won't correct a leak. If you add fluid when your linings are worn, then you'll have too much fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add (or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is done on the brake hydraulic system If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is hot enough. You or others could be burned, and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only when work is done on the brake hydraulic system. When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake warning light will come on. If your vehicle has the Driver Information Center, the BRAKE FLUID LOW message will also be displayed. A chime will sound if you try to drive with this warning light on. See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-42.